founder's letter

I also see the need to create more spaces in beauty and sport for diverse women. Diverse women continue to be severely underrepresented in sport. This is a matter of fact:  According to the NCAA, only 14% of D1 athletes are Black, 5.6% are Hispanic, and 2% are Asian.  Studies also show that BIPOC women disproportionately abstain from, or drop out of, sports due to gender stereotypes, religious and cultural norms, familial expectations, and socioeconomic barriers.

 

The research is consistent with my experience growing up as a first-generation Vietnamese American.  My parents immigrated to the U.S. during the Vietnam War.  I was born in Vermont — the least diverse state in America with a 98% Caucasian population.  Growing up, I was the only Asian girl (and usually the only minority student) in my classes.  I didn't see anyone who looked like me in beauty or sport.  And, like many who grew up in traditional immigrant households, I felt pressured to focus exclusively on my studies and spent most of my time alone studying. Sophomore year, I dropped out of my high school basketball team to focus on AP classes. After that, I never exercised or played sports again in school.  And, as a result, I struggled immensely with negative body image, disordered eating, depression, and anxiety. 

 

These issues followed me into my 20s and, it was only after experiencing a personal mental health crisis while working as lawyer in New York City, that my sister suggested that I try Crossfit to help alleviate stress and social isolation. It proved to be a life-changing, and potentially life-saving, decision.  Through Crossfit, I not only discovered the profound impact of exercise on my mental health, but also — for the first time — that I am an athlete.  To this day, I continue to train Crossfit & Olympic weightlifting, and I consider sport to be a vital component of my mental and physical well-being.

I believe that who we are in life is defined not by the consensus of others, but rather by our actions.  Any woman who makes the daily decision to challenge herself physically and mentally is, in my view, an athlete.  With Selects, my mission is to help women recognize that there is a powerful athlete within them — and to create best-in-beauty products that keep them feeling cared for and confident, wherever their ambitions and talent may take them.  
 

I believe that the future of beauty is active and inclusive.  Thank you for being on the journey with me.  Let's build the future together.